A CONTRACT BRIDE

CHAPTER THREE

Her face was coated in disgust as she stared down at me, but slowly, she removed her eyes from me, turning to face mr heights instead, a sickly sweet smile on her face.

"Axel baby! I missed you so much. I had a lot to do yesterday so I was not able to meet up with our date. How do you feel about going today?" She asked.

I did not recognize her, but if there was anything I could derive from that statement of hers, she was definitely someone close to him.

"We can talk about that later, I'm having a little meeting with a worker of mine. If you don't mind waiting outside." he said, face still emotionless.

I would have done everything within my power to avoid the glare that followed that declaration almost instantaneously.

" She? You are sending me out because of that thing?" She asked.

I was right. She asked definitely someone of importance to him.

"Sloane, lease don't make me say it again" he said, his voice now holding slight irritation.

But she did not seem to notice because she was now staring at me, her eyes bundled in surprise and confusion.

"That dress you are putting on..."she said trailing off.

I looked down at what I had worn to work. It was one of the dresses brought in for washing by my mum's customers, she owned a Laundromat and since I had nothing presentable to wear to this job, I tended to borrow a little piece of clothing from the store and return it in one piece.

"What are you talking about?" Mr heights asked.

My face was already pale now. Is there any way that this dress somehow belonged to her or someone she knew? This was not the kind of impression I wanted to make on him.

"It's mine. I wore it to a club once and had a little part of the dress ripped out by the chair handle so I asked that it be amended since I love it so much. If I'm not mistaken, that is my dress" she said, startling me with those words even though I already expected them.

There was no way I was talking myself out of this one.

Without another word, she stomped towards me, turning me around and letting out a huge gasp as she saw the tear on the dress..

I was already shaking like a leaf by now.

" I'm so sorry, my mum has a Laundromat, I have nothing to wear to work here and it's strict that I dress nice. I just borrowed it please. I can get you a new one if you want" I was saying,rambling on now.

I did not talk much before s slap landed on my face.

" What do you mean get me a new one? This is a limited edition Laurent. You think paupers like you can afford it? I blame my stupid assistant for giving my clothes to the cheap slut that your mother is to help me wash them." She said, each word stinging.

A hint of a smile formed on mr heights face. I wondered how he could laugh when I was in such a situation.

" That's enough, leave her, you can go" Mr heights said, this time, talking to me.

But maybe it was the incident or the adrenaline rush from the whole event, but I felt emboldened.

" No, I want to stay. I have a favour to ask of you" I said to him.

The woman scoffed as though she was surprised at how bold I was. I was surprised too. I was just caught stealing the clothes of someone to wear to work and I still had the guts to ask for a favour.

" Give us some space, Sloan. I will call you later" he said, looking at me blankly.

She turned to look at me, as though contemplating if I was that big of a threat and then fi nally, she walked out, slamming the door loudly and causing the whole room to reverberate.

" What is it that you want?" He asked.

I breathed in deeply. I was doing this for my sister.

" I want to ask for money. I have a such sister in the hospital and I have to get money for her surgery. I'm not asking that you give it to me for free. I can work for you for years to come if that is what it would take. Please" I said.

I was near tears when I fi nally stopped talking, my pride now non existent.

He seemed to be considering what I said.

" Well why would you want money when you can just steal it? Was that what you were looking for when I walked in?" He asked.

A pang of guilt stung my chest. Now I had made him think I was a mere thief.

" No, I would never steal from you, im was not looking for money in your drawers" I said to him.

He put that the ball pen that he had been using to play for a while, now turning his full attention at me.

" What do you possibly think you can do for me that I want?" He asked. His eyes did not hold skepticism, perhaps curiosity was the dominant emotion as he stared at me.

I swallowed.

" Whatever you want. I can clean I can scrub, I can grovel and beg. Whatever you want" I said to him. When he got up, walking towards me in a slow and unhurried manner, I could have sworn that he was going to say yes.

He was going to give me the cheque that would save my sister's life.

With each step he took, I felt my heart begin to thump loudly until he was a few inches away from me, breath so close to my face now.

" I don't help thieves. Get out!" he said.